How to resolve conflict in cactus, succulent gardens

This golden barrel cactus is protected from the adjacent plants with regular pruning to prevent interference. (Maureen Gilmer/TNS)

This golden barrel cactus is protected from the adjacent plants with regular pruning to prevent interference. (Maureen Gilmer/TNS)

Ordinary plants yield their space while cacti and succulents resort to violence to keep competitors at bay. Drought-resistant species take no prisoners and use their armor to claim earth and its treasure: water. Unless you control the proximity of this botanical weaponry, you will sustain casualties out there as plants you love and paid dearly for rot, melt down or become scarred beyond recognition.

Plants added in recent drought years grow larger and closer together. Under such proximity the potential for a stab wound rises exponentially every year. It’s caused by a sharp spine or thorn impaling its self into soft flesh of an adjacent cactus or succulent. It happens slowly as each millimeter of growth pushes that spine a bit deeper into its neighbor. Moisture oozes out to attract bugs and rot to this wound that does not heal. Then the rains come and the wound gets wet allowing rot to flourish over the cool winter days. Eventuality: fatalities or disfiguring scars.

This is a microcosm of what’s going on all over “sharp” gardens of drought-resistant succulents, cactus and exotics everywhere. The slow growth of these tough plants means folks don’t notice them much. New owners don’t realize casualties are happening until it’s too late. Experienced succulent gardeners know success depends on spotting these potential conflicts with quick resolution or there will be blood.

Your goal is to assess the source of the threat. You must become the referee and decide who remains in the game and who is benched for the time being. Here are some conflict resolution tips for spines, thorns and serrated edges.

1. Snip the tips. When a plant has a sword shaped leaf tipped with a barb, you can snip off the tip to shorten it enough to avoid conflict. When snipping, cut the hard tip only. Don’t cut into the living flesh or it will dry out and exhibit ugly die back.

2. Remove a part. Spreading aloes are a good example of sharp plants that push their way into the flesh of others with impunity. These and other clumping succulents need regular control to keep space between them and everything else. Often the only task required is to remove the new growth that is potentially causing the conflict. Repeat as necessary.

3. Remove it all. Sometimes the cacti and succulents we selected years ago have grown beyond our wildest expectations. They are simply too tall or wide to remain there any longer without damaging other plants we love. So this fellow has to go to protect everything else, but he’ll easily be moved to another part of the garden with more space.

Another key to resolution is to study the plants to assess their habit and relative value. If a $5 euphorbia is threatening your $300 aloe, the solution is to sacrifice all or part of the euphorbia.

Wind is a much more immediate form of swordplay. As plant parts move they encounter unexpected interference from softer individuals who never win the war. It’s common in wind prone areas where seasonal velocity can be extreme. Winds twist plants around forcing contact where it doesn’t ordinarily occur. For example, a thorny tree branch well away from your specimen agave could be bent far enough to scratching lines down the smooth green agave leaves. The longer it persists the greater the visual damage. Once a succulent is marred this way, you can’t get rid of the scratch damage except by removing the whole leaf, spoiling the rosette. With a big mature succulent costing hundreds of dollars, this kind of unauthorized jousting may prove expensive.

Succulent plants can grow very large and vigorous in the right climates. They ask for little and offer much beauty. But their unique armor is not just to keep browsers away, it’s to keep their neighbors at bay too. This requires perpetual vigilance to ensure peace in your garden by inspecting, snipping and clipping to forever maintain détente.

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Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and landscape designer. Learn more at www.MoPlants.com